A French Perspective in New York...
Join me as I search New York for everything that reminds me of Paris but of course is still New York. Follow me as I figure out what it means to be Paris in New York.

Samuel (Lellouche) is a happily married nurse working in a Paris hospital. When his very pregnant wife (Anaya) is kidnapped before his helpless eyes, everything falls apart. After being knocked unconscious, he comes to and his cell phone rings: he has three hours to get Sartet (Zem), a man under police surveillance, out of the hospital. Shot on location in wide lens,POINT BLANK is an exhilarating non-stop ride through Paris’ streets, subways, hospitals, warehouses, and police stations, as Samuel quickly finds himself pitted against rival gangsters and trigger-happy police in a deadly race to save the lives of his wife and unborn child.

Writer-director Fred Cavayé started out as a fashion photographer. His first feature, “Anything for Her," was nominated for a César (France's equivalent of the Academy Awards) for Best First Film, and remade in the US as "The Next Three Days," with a screenplay Cavayé co-wrote with director Paul Haggis.

Performed by Floanne: “Floanne is “the French Madonna”. Her charming show is an intimate medley of classic songs from her native France and adopted America. Reviving some of the most beautiful French songs and a few American standards, “Floin’ to America” recounts her personal and professional journey from French farm girl to sophisticated New York City entertainer. In a love declaration between France and America, her sensual voice, empowered by her smile and strong on-stage personality, shares a tale of patience, passion and ambition, with a cheerful touch.”

"Floanne brings a message of hope and happiness with rythm and ease." —French Morning

June 21, 2011

If your kids loves Soccer and would like to learn all about game strategy, tackling and other techniques, he will have a blast at Universal Soccer Camp. He will also meet lots of bilingual kids and maybe catch few words in French !!!

SUMMER VACATIONSCAMP 4: From Monday, June 20th to Friday, June 24thCAMP 5: From Monday, June 27th to Friday, July 1st,CAMP 6: From Saturday, July 5th to Saturday, July 9thCAMP 7: From Monday, August 15th to Friday, August 19thCAMP 8: From Monday, August 22th to Friday, August 26th

June 15, 2011

Brooklyn's annual Bastille Day celebration featuring the largest petanque tournament in the U.S., drinks by Ricard, food, two live bands and a guillotine. Smith Street between Bergen and Pacific transforms into sandy petanque courts while area restaurants such as Bar Tabacand Robin Des Bois serve food & drink.

Petanque tournament: 80 teams from all over the worldGreat food and drink all dayLIVE MUSIC ALL DAY with 3 bandsSponsored by RICARD LE SOLEIL DE MARSEILLECelebration starts at 11AM until 11PM so COME and HAVE FUN with us!

+ Game for kids & Penalty kick contest

+ REGISTER NOW for the Petanque Competition at the Restaurant(Participation fee: $20 for 2)For more information click hereAt 2.30PM join the Ceremony with the French Consul General M. Philippe Lalliot and M. Marty Markowitz Borough President.

Each year, to commemorate France’s own Independence Day on July 14, 1789, Bastille Day on 60th Street brings the best of France to New York.

The street is closed for a whole afternoon of activities and delights for the entire family. Kids can play a round of pétanque or get their faces painted at the Kids Corner booth. From tasting delicious treats to listening to music at our day-long concert, everyone will enjoy the attractions provided by artists and artisans from various regions of France, as well as other French-speaking countries.

June 08, 2011

French dual-language programs, which didn't exist in New York City public schools five years ago, are booming across the city, spurred by lobbying efforts from the French community.

By September 2011, six elementary schools, one middle school and one charter school will have French programs. In Brooklyn, Public School 133 in Park Slope and P.S. 110 in Greenpoint are expected to unveil programs starting this fall.

Students at P.S. 58, the Carroll School in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, which offers a French language program.

The growing number of French programs reflects the growing number of French. A survey conducted by the U.S. Census found 14,000 French lived in New York City in 2009, up from 12,000 in the 2000. The French consulate in New York says the true number is far higher—approximately 75,000 French living in New York state, most of them in New York City. About 3,000 French families have settled in the Carroll Gardens-Gowanus-Park Slope area of Brooklyn in the last 10 years, said Fabrice Jaumont, the education attaché at the French Embassy.

While there are a handful of private French bilingual schools in the city—Lycée Français of New York; the French-American School of New York; and Lyceum Kennedy among them—the high cost of attendance put them out of the reach for many younger French families.

The French dual-language programs in public schools, by contrast, are free. "There was a lot of thirst among them for programs like this, because four years ago, if you couldn't spend over $20,000 to send your child to a private school, you didn't have a choice," said Marie Bouteillon, the first teacher hired for Carroll School-P.S. 58's dual-language program in 2007.

That program started with a kindergarten class of 24 students, split evenly between native French speakers and non-French speakers, and with one teacher. It now enrolls nearly 200 students across four grade levels, with eight teachers, and has a growing waiting list for admissions this fall.

Dual-language programs have been offered in city public schools for more than a decade. Eighty of the city's 96 such programs are dedicated to Spanish, while seven are in Chinese and one each in Russian, Korean and Haitian Creole.

In 2005, French expatriates formed a group, Education Française à New York, to push for French after-school and dual-language programs in public schools. The group began by initially offering after-school classes in neighborhood public schools run by volunteers.

These programs benefited from funding from the French government, which offers special grants to support classes in French as a mother tongue, where no French schools are otherwise available for French citizens living abroad. Mr. Jaumont of the embassy said the French government helped out because the existing French schools in New York City were out of space, and they were too expensive for many young French families to afford.

What began as a gathering of French parents to discuss the educational needs of their children soon gathered momentum.

"Some of us first met other French parents in Carroll Park, and we started meeting more French people in bars and restaurants across the city, and fairly rapidly we were able to get a critical mass of parents who were interested in pursuing French bilingual programs for their children," said Catherine Poisson, president of Education Française à New York. "We started going to principals of various schools trying to establish after-school programs first and then dual-language education."

Meanwhile, the Carroll School and the French Embassy, pushed by a shortage of teachers qualified to teach French dual-language programs, approached Hunter College last year about adding a French track to its existing Master's in early-childhood bilingual-education program. Hunter will begin offering the French track starting this fall.

While a large number of the children enrolled in the public school dual-language programs are French, the programs also cater to children of other Francophone immigrants from countries like Switzerland, Canada and Senegal. The programs include an equal distribution of students who speak French at home and those who speak English or another language with their parents.

Having both native French speakers and English speakers In the classroom has helped both students and teachers, says Ms. Bouteillon. "One example is that of Francophone parents, who recorded themselves reading poems, short stories and spelling tests to help Anglophone parents and students with French homework," said Ms. Bouteillon, who is now the instructional coach at the Carroll School.

For many French parents, the programs have a broader draw than merely raising their children with two languages.

"It's not just learning the language," said Lea Sloan, whose father is French and mother is American and who was involved in efforts aimed at establishing a French program at P.S.110 in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, where her 5-year-old daughter Mia Sloan will begin attending kindergarten this fall. "It's a whole experience, because my kid will want to go to France and have attachment with the country, the culture and the food through the language."

June 07, 2011

Get to know acclaimed photographer Didier Massard in an evening conversation with Julie Saul, founder of the Julie Saul Gallery, and David McFadden, Chief Curator of New York's Museum of Arts and Design (MAD). Following a 6-minute, behind-the-scenes film of Massard at work in his studio, the artist will give fascinating personal insight into the imaginary worlds he creates.

Immediately after the talk, join Massard for the Opening Reception of his wonderful exhibition, Artifices, at the FIAF Gallery. On view through July 5, the exhibition will feature Massard's unique largescale photographs that are as beautiful as they are chilling.

Meet the artist at 5pm, preview the exhibition, and enjoy a glass of wine at the opening reception 6.3- to 8.30pm!

June 01, 2011

The Champagne region of France with its rolling hills and vineyards is worth the visit if you have a few extra days to spend in France. Less than 100 miles east of Paris, the easiest way is to take the TGV from Paris to Reims and then rent a car to drive through the picturesque road through the vineyards, called "Montagne de Reims".

Here are few ideas to spend few days around Reims and Epernay, the 2 main cities where you will find most of the well-known Champagne House.

Visit the sacred town of Reims, known for its role in consecrating the kings of France as well as its importance to the Champagne region’s sparkling wines. After a tour of the city’s famous Gothic cathedral, where most of the King of France got sacred, starting with the famous Clovis, then take a tour at the Cellars of Maison Pommery (one of the most beautiful to visit)

Then drive through the region in direction of Epernay and stop in different villages like Chamery, Sermiers, Rilly-la-montagne, Verzy (look for a special forest called "Faux de Verzy"), Ambonnay, Avenay-Val d'or (cute village), Louvois, etc...I highly recommend a Michelin map to help you find the little roads through the woods and vineyards. So beautiful from May to September...

Stop overnight at Epernay, the main entrepôt for the region’s sparkling wines. Here, you’ll visit the prestigious wine cellars of Moet & Chandon or Champagne Mercier (which have 18km of underground caves you visit in a little train) for another tasting session. Stroll down the "Avenue de Champagne" to look at all the fancy houses of Champagne

If you stay at the hotel Royal Champagne : Go to Hautvillers, a cute village overlooking Epernay where Champagne was created in the 16es by a monk. From there go to the forest for a hike (beautiful national park). Ask for La Briqueterie or les Rinsillons.

Before traveling to France or another country where French is commonly spoken, stop at The New School for a weekend immersion in the French language. Master common situations such as asking for directions, handling currency, ordering in restaurants, and shopping. Make rapid progress learning to converse in French. Level 1 is for complete beginners; Level 2 is for students familiar with basic elements of the language; Level 3 is an intermediate-level course for students with a good working knowledge of French; Level 4 is an advanced course. Each workshop meets Friday, 6:00-9:30 p.m.; Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. (with a one-hour lunch break); and Sunday, 10:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m., for a total of 14 hours of instruction.